Sour cherry custard cake

1.In a medium saucepan bring the milk just to a simmer with the vanilla pod. Set aside.

2.Beat the yolks and the caster sugar with an electric beater for 4 minutes until pale and thick. Add flour and combine. Pour in the hot milk in a steady stream while still beating – the vanilla pod will stay in the base of the pan.

3.Return mixture to the pan (with the pod still in it) and heat again, stirring constantly until the custard thickens. This takes only a minute. Pour the custard into a bowl and whisk for another few seconds until smooth. Cover and set aside for 1 hour to cool.

4.To make the cake mixture, combine the flour and ground almonds in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs and caster sugar with a hand-held electric beater for 4 minutes until pale and thick. Remove the beater and carefully fold through the flour mixture followed by the cooled melted butter and the rum. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5.Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter a loose-bottomed 20cm round tin, dust the sides with flour and put a circle of baking paper into the base.

6.Spoon just over half of the chilled cake mixture into the tin and spread it out evenly. Remove the vanilla pod and pile the cooled custard into the centre of the cake, then spread it out carefully into a thick layer, keeping 1cm away from the sides of the tin. Stud the custard with the 40 drained sour cherries, and then cover with the remaining cake mixture. Smooth the top.

7.Bake the cake for 50 minutes, rotating after 30, and cover with a sheet of foil if the top seems to be browning too quickly. The cake is ready when it starts to shrink away from the sides of the tin and springs back when pushed gently in the centre.

8.Allow the cake to cool in the tin on a rack, then carefully remove it and dust with icing sugar (use a stencil or a paper doily to create a pattern on the top if you wish). Serve at room temperature, not chilled.